Mitch McConnell reportedly getting a Tea Party challenger

Matt Bevin, a Kentucky businessman, is already buying up airtime in the state

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July 21, 2013 6:16PM (UTC)

Mitch McConnell is reportedly getting a challenge from the right in his 2014 reelection campaign, with Kentucky Businessman Matt Bevin planning to announce that he's running against McConnell in the Republican primary.

[Bevin], an investment executive based in Louisville, has previously floated the prospect of a primary bid against McConnell. Now, two sources say Bevin has booked ads in the Louisville market; a Republican source said “Matt Bevin for Senate” has also begun reserving time in Bowling Green as well.
From the Huffington Post:

According to the Huffington Post, Bevin has already been meeting with local tea party activists and the leader of the Louisville Tea Party.

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In a statement, McConnell's campaign manager Jesse Benton dismissed a possible run by Bevin, calling him "an East Coast con man."

"While it is sad to see someone who claims to be a Republican doing Barack Obama's bidding, his campaign is nothing more than a nuisance," Benton said in a statement. "Mitch McConnell will never waiver in his fight for our Kentucky values.”

McConnell's Democratic opponent is Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, whose run prompted a bizarre auto-tuned web video released by the McConnell campaign.

Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.